


Vos

by StarlightCaptivator



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Coding gone rogue, Communication Snafu, Gen, M/M, Mech Preg, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychological Trauma, Rape/Non-con Elements, Refer to Author's notes for individual chapter warnings, Shape Discrimination, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Transformer Sparklings, barbarian au, culture clash, unreliable narrators
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2019-10-21 19:44:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17648723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightCaptivator/pseuds/StarlightCaptivator
Summary: It was meant to be a moment of respite- a little vacation before going back to an already busy life promising to get busier.But, one could not step into a land such as Vos without consequences bound to be on the horizon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Vos! Also known as: You're in rarepair hell now, kiddos. This is a _big_ fic I've been planning for long time and talking about with one of my most favorite people forever. This will be series big, and the plot is actually bound to be heavier than the smut is, though there will be plenty of that, too. 😉
> 
> So, with that being said, I'll be tagging more (warnings, kinks, plot elements, characters) as we get away from this first chapter, which functions as a quick backstory prologue. Most of the rest of this fic, and this series, will be paced out far slower. 
> 
> Now, the brass tacks: 
> 
> Ultimately, this is a tale of a massive lapse of communication and choices. Both sides think they're the civilized one to the other's barbarism- and there are cultural elements to both sides which will slap either a violence or a noncon tag on some of these chapters.
> 
> I'm going to warn you about all of it any time it comes up in the notes, like this, but to maintain the integrity of the whole sordid tale, I'm going to be selective about how I tag it at large. 
> 
> Since this is likely to be read by literally ten people, I don't feel so terrible about that. :P 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! I'm very excited to put this out there, this is an au and a story I'm very proud of.

 Cybertron, or rather- the populous, metropolitan centers of Cybertron- did not have what one would call official borders.

Surely they were there, but they were more a formality for the majority of Cybertron's population, rather than a rule. Politics dictated the borders more than culture, fuzzed at the edges at wide overlaps. Small townships and villages took up the scant in-betweens where they could, and the culture blurred further in those spots.

For most of Cybertron, spires glittered in their sky-scraping majesty and long, manicured highways took the average ground-bound Cybertronian from one polity to another with a luxurious type of ease.

Flight frames had it a little harder, with highly regulated airways and an undercurrent of frame-based discrimination that the metropolis couldn't seem to shake, for all it's progress and progressive ideas in regards to build.

In all technicality, smaller areas usually had no flight paths, and so little fliers were to be found in there.

* * *

Brainstorm supposed it was almost to be expected, however, as most flight-frames came from Vos.

And Vos, was **feared**.

Brainstorm was constructed for a border guard posting in Harmonex with the name Genitus, which was as silly of an idea- that which the beauteous city of Harmonex needed guards- as was the construction of a flight-frame like he was for such a task.

In fact, it was so silly that when he fell in with the academic class there, he was relieved of his duty and educated on the city's budget.

It brought him into civilian life, and the unfortunate ideas of the civilians therein.

Like those that he, was some sort of savage.

Brainstorm- formerly Genitus of Harmonex- with his inbuilt weaponry and his accidentally brilliant mind, was the furthest thing from a savage that could be, so he thought.

It was just a matter of logic, to him. He didn't know any sort of Vosian- even by old heritage for those kindled, but parts of his own frame told a story of these mysterious fliers.

His plating was strong- able to withstand winds and impact and his wings were almost like specialized flight sensors in their own rights, for how much sheer  _information_ they gave him on his surroundings in general.

He'd have called himself the exception to the information- an outlier who would never ever need to worry about harsh conditions and fuel scarcity. His inbuilt weapons were comfortable on his frame, but never once had they been activated, even for those early training purposes.

Still, It had been a hard lesson to learn, the first time someone was scared of him thanks to his wings, and harder back when he got to listen to his friend's tiny husband explain matters to him.

"Traditionally, Vosians are ..... _different_."

At the time, Brainstorm had simply squinted his optic shutters and rocked in his seat to lean forward.

"You don't need to say ' _different_ ' when you mean _'fragging_ weird', Rewind."

Rewind gave him a flat look at that, and gave him a summation of the information he had at hand.

In short, the Vosians were widely considered some kind of prehistoric holdover. So, Anyone with wings and many mechanisms with rotors found their ways with no small amount of difficulty, and Brainstorm was destined to be one of them, much in the same manner there would always be an undercurrent of discrimination for so-called disposables.

The thought did little but to reinforce his mind, tell him that he had to be the best, had no choice **but** to be the best, and to bring attention to himself and his work with no regard to his wings.

A Vosian frame was adaptable but Brainstorm- he was no Vosian.

Truly, he didn't think about that old conversation, any part of it, until years later.

His love of learning in Harmonex brought him a local accolade, if tempered by his noted eccentricities, but it served to take him to conventions and moots close by, and the first time he'd stepped pede in Tyger Pax, he fell in love.

He was bound to it, he knew, but his ardent love for all things science aside, deep down, Brainstorm was moved by his impulses. It was yet another of those "noted eccentricities" to be sure, and the Academy had accounted for them with a quickness. He'd been warned to be on his best behavior whilst in Tyger Pax, but it was said in such a manner that he knew that The Dean was resigned to whatever chaos he could accidentally cause, with just sheer presence or otherwise.

The first time he stepped into the first lecture hall of the Tyger Pax Summit on Applied Physics, his spark felt like it had frozen him in time.  

That weekend, he fell in love not one time - but twice.

And that was why it was some mild kind of shocking in the years down the road, to find him in what he could only describe an uneasy cohabitation in Iacon- of all places, and not his beloved Harmonex nor the academic center that was Tyger Pax. 

Uneasy, because by his record, there was still some warming up to do.  Uneasily moreso, mostly because he'd been in some semblance of a relationship with one of those loves.

Well, technically two, but one relationship that had results _technically_ outside the lab.

_Quark_ had become a friendly acquaintance, and that relationship bloomed into a beautiful friendship, just on the side of _Amica Endura_. He was a smart mech, and sweet as could be- not to mention he engaged Brainstorm on any and every level of conversation, whether it was scientific or silly. Brainstorm had loved him for that blanket acceptance of himself and all, and even carried a torch for him for a short time before it settled into the sweet, friendly relationship they now shared. 

The other mech- Perceptor, however; had become his _lover._

And it was lover only in name, only on the side that Brainstorm did love him, and liked to think that Perceptor loved him in some way back.

They fit well together, a microscope with a mysterious past and a cold construct guard, commissioned to safe-keep one of Cybertron's beloved cultural centers and largest known art intallations outside of the Crystal City itself.

Perceptor was just as much of a puzzle as he was, if not more by the measure of his adamant chest-plating that was nearly on the border of lewd if not for it's opacity and his very obvious sighting mod, which sat directly over one of his optics. He was also immune to wheedling and annoyance and nearly most kind of emotional response save but for expressions so gently done as if to be almost graceful- save in one area.

Perceptor was fiery in his carnal passion- if quiet in expressing it for all the surprise that was.

When they'd interface it was as if Perceptor was as ravenous for him as he was for his next discovery. In the lab and in the berth, it made Brainstorm feel _desired_.

At least, where the act _itself_ was concerned.

He touched Brainstorm in novel ways that more than overshadowed quick fumblings in the barracks of Harmonex or even his clever little experiments on his own time to experience that heightened pleasure.

Perceptor devoured him and it felt almost as he could methodically take him apart and return him to one piece for how thoroughly Perceptor _had_ him. The mech was systemic, if in pursuit of his own pleasure and just thinking about their interfacing sessions could send Brainstorm into a mighty squirm for the memory of those sensations, even if sometimes his frame felt more a conduit than a focus.

When he ended up kindling a newspark, all of that crashed into a new, uncomfortable perspective, and he had no choice but to resign himself to an existence that had been unfathomable a short time ago, in the relative term of his lifespan, been unconscionable.

It was a hard carry full of emotional pain, but Brainstorm came out on top there, having his cake and almost getting to eat it, too, for as bitter an aftertaste it gave him. 

When he found himself having kindled a second time? That was when everything changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And from here, the pacing will be better, I promise. Thank you for reading! :D


	2. Chapter 2

 The morning of the trip, Brainstorm rose early.

He took a long moment to luxuriate in the silence of dawn and in that slight tingling excitement that the day would bring them, comfortable and cozy in his berthing. It was a day that would bring out into the wider world the members of his little family.

Well, for two of them at the very least.

He turned just so, careful not to disturb Perceptor at the other side of their large berth. The microscope was asleep still, recharging on his side. Brainstorm took a moment to listen to his even venting, the steady and quiet hum of his systems, before turning back and stretching his arms well above his helm.

His backstrut adjusted in a matter most satisfactorily and he mused on it a moment, thinking about how before too long it'd be back to a constant ache again when he grew heavy. He still puzzled on a way to give Perceptor the news, but yet... he was still unwilling. It was thrill in a manner, to have a secret no one could yet disapprove of. It had been a couple of weeks since they'd last interfaced, since Brainstorm knew one of the harder sparkmerges Perceptor was fond of in their more intense goes would likely reveal the existence of their second newspark.

_Pit_ , he practically parented his _first_ sparkling by himself, what more was another few days or weeks of happiness to himself? Or rather, himself and Fission, that first. Fission wasn't yet old enough to be off the creation bond yet, and the precocious almost-toddler seemed very close to figuring out this oddness along their bond.

Thus, the trip.

It felt like the least that Brainstorm could do, to take his tiny son on a little outing past the walls of Iacon.

It would be a grand gesture in miniature.

Brainstorm had so much work to be done after Fission's emergence that it almost felt like he'd never set aside anything for just the two of them to do together. The few attempts he'd made to include Perceptor in 'family' activities had gone down in disastrous flames, and so here he was, quietly moving through their modest flat to wake his youngling for a mini-expedition out of the city.

This would be no experiment with Fission stuffed in his cockpit, not this time. This time he'd get to be a part of the goings-on, get a tiny hands-on feel of his first real scientific venture. It'd be perfect, and Brainstorm had been looking forwards to the trip since Lightspeed had suggested it to him in one of the faculty break rooms at the University.

Funny, how all other scientists and specialists besides his sire were enamored with the little mech.

But, that was a bitter reflection for another day. This day was for the two of them together in the sweet pursuit of questions to history's answers.

Fission flopped in his arms at first as he pulled the little mech out of his miniature berth, burbling soft baby chirps before curling up next to the warmth of Brainstorm's spark.

Brainstorm couldn't help but smile as he brought him out into the main area of their abode and flipped the dispenser there to on and warm.

"Come on, sweetspark, it's time to wake up now~" He singsonged softly, taking a seat in reach of the dispenser. He hesitated for just a moment before taking the cube, figuring that if Perceptor were to wake, he did not have much to explain with the default cube.

He was sure he would entirely fight down the urge to use his automatic fueling lines one day, but today was not that day.

None the less, he coaxed Fission into taking a portion of the extra-nutritious energon and gently stuffed the mechlet into his cockpit, so he could wake at his leisure as his carrier shuffled about preparing for their trip.

He carried most of the things Fission needed in his subspace anyways, but it didn't hurt to take some extra energon chews and a few of Fission's toys and a blanket, in case he got fussy.

For himself, he opted for a couple of his project datapads and a recreational one, for those times in the middle of the night cycle that he'd need to wake and tend to his infant.

They were ready to go in record time, but something had Brainstorm wanting to loiter in their abode a moment longer. For another moment he felt silly, but that silliness passed in a solution. He queued a message to ping Perceptor when he woke biding him goodbye, saying their expedition shouldn't last more than a week at the most, but more like a few days.  Perceptor wouldn't likely reply to him for a matter such as this, and knowing that the microscope planed on going to a conference himself made it likely he'd not see him for a week or so beyond that anyways.

With a last look back and a soft sigh, Brainstorm and his son left their abode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we really begin. :3c
> 
> Thanks for reading! ♥


	3. Chapter 3

 Despite his wings, Brainstorm tended towards larger, non-sentient transport for the majority of moving about Iacon. It wasn't as if he was opposed to it, so to say, but it was far more convenient for reviewing material... and for accompanying Perceptor - if he was honestly honest.

Either way, he took the early transport to the university and met Lightspeed and his team at the main avenue in. Fission was waking nigh fully by then, and taken to bapping very gently at the inside of Brainstorm's cockpit glass to be let out.

The scientists were delighted to see Fission, and he was delighted in turn to see them, taking each of their digits to shake in a manner both ridiculously solemn and hilarious for a mech of his size. It was a point of pride, that his son would be groomed for academic niceties so young.

And, even moreso, that Lightspeed had included Fission in on this little trip. Really, it would be more of an exercise in leisure than scientific pursuit where he himself was involved, but Brainstorm was interested in whatever structure the group had scoped out for it's apparent hardiness- something he could use in regards to some future engineering grants.

Lightspeed and his team wanted to excavate the structure itself and bring bits and bobs back to the University, if they could, to take a peek into the past of Cybertron beyond oldest memory. Brainstorm respected them all for that, even moreso when they were seen off at the gate by the last of their little crew, with an excited promise that Strafe would have space and tools ready for them upon their return.

Really when it came down to it, it was a camping trip, and Brainstorm and the others bustled themselves and their gear into their transport, and headed for the city gates.

* * *

It took them a remarkably short period of time, once they were outside the city to reach their designated camp grounds. Fission was nearly beside himself with that special sort of cautious excitement toddlers had when faced with something so new and vast and outside of the comfort that they usually knew.

At least, Brainstorm thought it was like that for other children. He wouldn't know  _truly_ , since Fission was the only sparkling he knew.

The space directly outside the walls of Iacon was cleared of cyberflora, but it took them wading through a thick band of trees and shrubbery to get them through to the other side.

Fission was so occupied, and Brainstorm occupied in turn, that it didn't really occur to him that by leaving Iacon's walls, he'd left it's border, too.

No, Fission was doing his best to wiggle and squirm and grab at passing metallic vines and delicate leaves on sturdy little crystal fruit trees. Thankfully he'd not looked up to see the canopy above, and didn't seem to remember his little thrusters at the moment.

His wonder and awe was infectious, and Brainstorm joined him fully in it when they breached the edge of the forest, for the wide swath of land before them. A seemingly endless open sky met them above, and below the land swept before them for tens on tens squared of mechanometers.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" Brainstorm blinked and focused back down to the gentle face of Nosecone. Slowly, the mech smiled at him, and he gave one back despite his mask.

"Absolutely, I've never been out this far before." And he'd not been, nor anywhere close. Between Harmonex, Tyger Pax, Iacon and one or two places in between, he'd stayed well inside the cities, stepping only through 'nature' in the form of small parks when getting from point A to Z.

"Then this should be an...." Brainstorm patiently waited as Nosecone sought out the word, already well versed in the drill's propensity for glacial, if thoughtful expression. "... Informative venture, Especially for your little one. "

And there was that consideration for his offspring again that had his spark warmed. Each one of this little team went above and beyond the call of kindness to make both of them feel welcome, and Brainstorm felt a most affectionate kinship with them in turn. They all knew what it was like to start out different and struggle one's way to the academic positions they held today.

Their little group continued on, and it felt that in no time at all, they'd reached their campsite and began to set up. A moment's bickering between two of their more explosive teammates just resulted with Brainstorm and Fission in the best of their accommodations "Because carriers need cushy slag or whatever."

Said accommodation were a sizable but simple tent lashed to a couple of crystalline trees, and Brainstorm couldn't help but laugh to himself as he set Fission to exploring it as he withdrew a couple of things. Of course he'd get the big tent, carrier or not he was the biggest among them. That spark-warm feeling sustained, and he and the others settled in for an afternoon of chatter and pre-packaged, flavored coolants to take them into the evening.

Upon dawn, work was set to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter: The Computron gestalt components. 
> 
> And as a special treat tonight: Two chapters!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for death in this chapter. ✨

 When dawn's light broke into play over the border plains of Vos, their little group was already huddled about The Structure. Excitement had woken nearly everyone early, and so it was nearly everyone who rose early to forge ahead.

The Structure was obviously mechmade, Brainstorm could tell that at a glance, though the far image captures from the university could do it no sort of real justice. It was a partially submerged cylinder with a shorn, asymmetrical edge, higher up than any ground-based frame could easy reach- and how could they, with such a delicate carving on the body of the structure itself. This was not an object meant for climbing.

Brainstorm wanted material samples post-haste, wanted to analyze what he could about the construction, wanted to-

A quick series of baps had Fission out too, awoken by the excitement in his carrier's spark. A careful application of a magna-tether had the tiny mech doing his own curious explorations of the goings-on, and members of the team handing him random things in a very serious manner throughout the day.

Brainstorm only thought to stop in his help of the excavating when he received a ping from low fuel systems. It made him feel a little guilty, he was so focused and excited that he didn't bother to account for the changes coming back around his frame.

Standing straight and putting his arms over his helm to loosen his back-strut, he surveyed his surroundings. Nearby was a smaller member of the expedition he'd not really spoken much to, so he reeled in Fission's tether and approached.

"Scrounge, right?"

The little golden bot nearly jumped out of his plating, but he turned slowly to look up at Brainstorm, large optics seeming to go impossibly wider. Brainstorm soldiered on in attempting an interaction.

"Would you mind telling the others that the bit and I are heading back to camp? I need to fuel up, and this one needs a nap."

At the mention of such thing as a nap, Fission started up a mighty squirm. Scrounge, with his unique angular head, turned bodily to look at him and then Brainstorm, before nodding shyly. Brainstorm fixed him with a smile, even covered as it was with his blast mask.

"Thanks! I appreciate it." With no further adieu and no desire to intimidate the little bot further, Brainstorm settled Fission into his cockpit and took a few steps before transforming down to alt-mode and taking off with a mighty woosh of his thrusters.

* * *

It was waking up from a nap, that Brainstorm first felt that something was amiss.

Drowsy from the exertion the day brought and full from admittedly not nutritious low-grade, he'd taken advantage of Fission dropping off to sleep with a full tank to get some recharge himself.

He'd come back to with the odd feeling of disquiet, and pinged his systems to make sure everything was in order. He was fine, if a little restless thanks to his interface systems ready to prime at a moment's notice. He ignored them, dismissed the thought as easily as it had come upon him, and looked to his son. 

Fission still slept beside him, curled into a little ball on his front, his vents almost loud in the quiet of the tent and the slowly falling night.

... Quiet, it was too quiet. Brainstorm knew the team had planned to stay into the afternoon and early evening, but over the course of the day, they'd all agreed upon taking an evening meal together before cataloging the day's findings.

Apprehension slipped through him, and he took a moment to peek out from the zippered door of their little camping tent. The rest of the camp was empty, and long shadows had taken up residence in the sunset. Brainstorm closed the tent back up, feeling silly for a moment.

It was more likely than anything else that they'd just been caught up, and forgotten the plan to be back at camp before night fell. He considered putting some mixes together for when the rest of the party _did_ come back, but didn't want to leave anything out for any potential fauna that may appear at the scent. Though to be fair, having it ready may mean-

His train of thought cut abruptly at the realization that he could hear something in the distance- and at first that sound was that of a singular high-speed engine, getting louder and louder as it approached. At once Brainstorm thought something must be wrong, someone must be hurt, and they could use his expertise to help in preliminary repair- but no, all of a sudden he became aware of the sounds of flight engines, along with that high-performance ground engine.

He was confused at first, knowing that Strafe had stayed behind in Iacon and Scattershot had taken on an experimental mode to replace his flighted one on a short  favor from another department-

Then, a ping came through on shortwave.

[[STAY IN THE TENT!]]

Brainstorm froze all at once, fear throwing an icy spear deep into his spark.

[[Lightspeed!]] Brainstorm sent back [[What's happening, who-]]

[[Hide!! Hide and run when you can!! It's Vo-]]

There was a short whistle, and then a sickening crunch- that coincided with the abrupt end of Lightspeed's transmission. He felt like he moved in slow motion as he turned back around and grabbed his sleeping sparklet up, huddling him close to his chest plating. Fission began to squirm in his arms in small jerks, coming out of sleep as he was.

Brainstorm rocked him in desperation, dimming his biolighting as much as he could manage to without full medical know-how, and shifted himself slowly to the side of the tent next to the tree.

Around him there were more landings, and past the landings were pedesteps, that he could've sworn he'd never have heard if not for holding his venting.

That fear exponentiated on itself, the moment he realized that Lightspeed was likely dead.

Fission's optic shutters snapped open and his little face scrunched up into one of great displeasure, and Brainstorm knew all it once that the two of them were likely doomed.

When he let out a squalling cry, he was sure they _were_ doomed.

When a lyrical voice sounded and pedesteps came with it, and several unfamiliar painted and etched faces looked in at him and his son in surprise, he was all too close to accepting their deaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now: we get more serious. 
> 
> Welcome to Vos.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a character in shock, kidnapping and non-consensual interfacing. You can skip the scene at the singular dash in the middle of the page, but past the rule and go on to the next chapter from there if you want to skip it. ♥

 Brainstorm was proud of himself for not having gone without a fight. Albeit, it was less of a fight than it truly could've been, as he was mostly using himself as a shield for his crying sparklet and flailing kicks and slaps at those grabby strangers.

 They spoke at him in their strange, musical language, and mostly Brainstorm responded with "No!"s and "Get backs!", only becoming more determined to keep them off and away when it was apparent one or two of them was grabbing for his bitlet too.

 One of them actually managed it, grabbing Fission by a little flailing leg and pulling him from Brainstorm's grasp as he attempted to slap at them with his free hand.

 Fission screamed, Brainstorm's sudden terror amplifying his own, and Brainstorm's focus narrowed down to lunging at the offending mech, who yelped as they flailed backwards with optics wide. They must have foolishly not expected to get a carrier's attack for their transgression.

 Two sets of hands grasped Brainstorm about the shoulders and arms as he left the tent in pursuit of the bitnapper, and he was met with the sight of the mech being stopped too. The two holding on to Brainstorm drew him up to his pedes, and one of those stopping the offender said something hard and unintelligible, before plucking Fission up and taking a cautious step back to Brainstorm, to hand him the sparklet.  

 Those holding onto him adjusted, freeing his arms whilst still keeping holds on his shoulders. He snatched Fission back and held him close as the toddler sobbed little static cries into his chestplating. It was then, with the haze and initial panic of having his offspring taken fading that Lightspeed's final words became clear.

 The mech in front of him, and that which had given him his child back were odd in sound yes, but doubly so in appearance.

 Had he not had the rare occasion to be part of the rare guard for honoring foreign wealthy diplomats in Harmonex, he'd have not recognized the strangers' clothing for what it was. His quick optic could see the different attachment points of the materials designed to be worn in flight or root mode, with cloth hung down to cover presumably already covered modesty paneling and matching attachments attached to the sides for some and wrapped around to the wings for others. The next moment had him realizing that most of the strangers gathered were pointedly not looking at him.

 He'd met Vosians, of all things.

 Rewind's words from years long past came back to haunt him.

 "I haven't heard it myself, of course." He had said, as he went about his patient explanation. "But I hear their language is like singing, and that makes it all that more terrifying, if you find yourself out close to Vos and hear their battle songs-- but that they only reserve for enemies that have a place in their attention. If they don't find you worth anything, you hear nothing."

His optic caught sight of a pile of crushed metal and energon sitting nearby, and a tremor took up in his frame. 

Primus help Lightspeed, he had been one of those nothings.

"I figure that they have to be." Rewind had told him, patting Chromedome's faceplate affectionately when he questioned that. "Because, Domey, that's the conditions they live in, through choice or tradition. For some of those same reasons Crystal City is still watched over by the Omega Guardians, and Praxus has it's magna-walls; at one point, those were needed."

Someone snapped a couple of digits in front of his face and- Brainstorm flinched, knocking into the two Vosians holding on to him. A lyrical grumble met him, and the owner of those snapping digits held that hand up and gestured to one of his draping cloths. There was a symbol there, and through his shock it took Brainstorm a long moment to realize the he was looking at what appeared to be a facsimile of  a medic's cross.

This confused him further. Who knows what would be happening to him, what they would do- but a medic needed to look at him first for it??

He could almost laugh for the incredulity of the situation, could almost cry for it too, but he did neither as the medic expertly located and opened one of his diagnostic ports and plugged in.

Brainstorm realized he must be in shock, as it felt like nothing, like he was almost detached from himself as the medic ran what certainly had to be some kind of a scan on him.

A soft click and note of nonsense word and one of the mecha holding onto him moved to support his weight more, and said something back that must have been an affirmative. The medic was mostly purple with a pale face framed in gold, a rotary frame from what Brainstorm could parse. He held on to those details, up until the medic turned back to him and plugged back in.

Nigh instantaneously, a forced sort of relaxation washed over him and venting he'd not even realized was shallow and labored evened out. He realized miserably that he'd been some kind of sedated, before for a short while he knew no more.

* * *

 

He came to on a soft surface, flat on his back in a dimmed room. He'd not slept, and his chronometer told him it'd been just a short while since his encounter outside the tent. It brought a snap association in mind and the memories flooding back. He moved to sit up quickly- a reactionary movement, but a massive hand stopped him and so stopped him from dislodging Fission were he'd been placed on his chestplating, apparently having cried himself into recharge from the feel of the creation bond.

Brainstorm looked up... and up, and up, into crimson optics set into a painted black mask on a pale face set on one of the biggest mecha he'd ever seen, and quite promptly lost his strength.

Those optics were not unkind, and neither was the voice of this veritable behemoth, still lyric and song despite the rumbling depth of it. Brainstorm could only stare at him blankly, and then turn his head to look when the strange purple medic spoke too.

Back and forth this went, with these two speaking to each other and trying and failing to speak to him, until the big mech turned, and motioned someone into view. Brainstorm's vents stalled in a soft gasp. An adolescent- no, a mechling peered at him with curiosity and wariness, and even in the dying light he could tell the mechling belonged to the big mech.

Aforementioned big mech made the point to gesture to the mechling and then himself, before pausing to repeat the motion between Brainstorm and Fission. Brainstorm stared, but nodded his comprehension. The mechling was his child, just as Fission was Brainstorm's.

 The mechling said something inquisitory, and the big mech and his scary, handsome face smiled and nodded, and yet still when he pointed to Fission, asleep on Brainstorm's chassis. He motioned in a clear offer to take his sparklet, but Brainstorm balked until the medic motioned to the mechling with the sort of practiced patient impatience only a medic like him could express.

 With a tremble at his digits, he handed his sparklet over. Immediately, the mechling held him right and smiled, saying something that had the other two adults nodding approvingly, before turning to exit out of some door.

 Then, the attention was all back on him and he was acutely aware of the fact of it. The medic spoke to him regardless of his understanding, but the big mech on the other side of him seemed to nod ahead. The Medic sighed and shoved what seemed to be a flask - of all things- into his hands before raising, inclining in the swiftest of bows and for all intents and purposes, fleeing.

 Then, the atmosphere shifted; and it was to a fact that Brainstorm realized that the big mech was back to looking down at him, and his hand hadn't moved.

 No, instead it was doing an almost imperceptible sort of rubbing, that and the big mech seemed to be letting out some sort of purr.

 "Wha- what's on your mind, big fella?" He asked, knowing he sounded almost as bad as to be pathetically scared in asking the question. He already had an eye of what the big mech wanted, if the heat of their enclosed space was any indication.

 And oh dear Primus did some ironically primal part of him want that terrible idea, that ridiculous train of thought to be true. It must really have been too long since his last interface, if he was caught in this situation and some stupid part of him was entertaining the idea.

 The big mech sounded some sort of amused-confused at his wary wobbling question, and with what appeared to be a great deal of patience, gestured to the flask in Brainstorm's hand.

 "Oh.." Brainstorm replied faintly, eyeing the thing for a moment. "I don't really know if I should, I'm carrying after all-- not that you'd knnnyow! Hey!" The big mech, still looking patient for all the world, reached down and removed his blast mask with digits far more agile than they should of been, by all accounts.

 Which at that moment, were none, other than his.

 Brainstorm did some half-sparked cursory scramble to try and get it back but the big Vosian held him firm, and slipped it out of his reach. He vocalized again, and  Brainstorm had to just give in to the fact that he would be stuck, presumably until he consumed the contents of the flask.

 When he popped the cork on it, the big mech smiled at him with approval as if he'd been gifted it to hand out- and it was all for Brainstorm... Which of course in turn had his traitorous coding and interfacing systems give a mighty throb of interest, for what could be more interesting that this mountain of a mech, touching him so nicely and feeding him?

 Brainstorm shook himself from the momentary lapse, and planted the mech with a guilty stare before bringing the flask to his lips to drink in.

 He felt his entire frame perk up at first taste of the delicious fuel-- there wasn't a bite like engex would have, but there was a smooth crispness to it that he'd not tasted since he was a ward of the Military of Harmonex. It was pure flightgrade, with some sort of mineral component that he was suddenly dying to analyze, but that thought was to be shelved as he greedily drank the whole flask dry.

 The mech chuckled, which was a delightfully sonorous sound- and then: his hand moved in a matter much more telling.

 Brainstorm stared at it, burst of joy suddenly forgotten as that stroking resumed, right over where his gestational systems were busy readying themselves for the construction of his new spark.

 He sucked in a sharp vent of air as his spark went cold, felt as if it was contracting on itself for just a moment.

 How sorry he was to be right was he, as that hand made it's way down to his pelvic armor. The mech said something at a purr, optics darkening into a sultry ruby.  Then he leaned down, planting a slow, careful kiss on Brainstorm's lips. It wasn't what Brainstorm was expecting- none of this could've been expected when he departed from Iacon the day before, but his frame- again, the traitorous thing moved against his wishes, opening his legs for the big hand trying to slip between them.

 -

His mouth had betrayed him as well as the kiss turned into something more fervent as the rest of him caught up with the big mech, and the graze of denta on his lips and glossa licking it's way into his mouth turned into a kind of special torture-paradise. Here was a big, strong mech, happy to provide for him and acknowledging what he'd not yet told anyone else.

 Already, it was more than Perceptor had done for him in their past encounters, his coding whispered conspiratorially.

 Just that thought-most-depressing had his frame feeling dissonant as his valve contracted down on nothing, sending a small gout of lubricant against his still- closed panel. Accompanying it came a moan, and a surge of passion from his would- be lover who took it as permission to begin rubbing at his panel. Brainstorm's hips took a moment to dance before he failed to keep closed and the mech's fingers instantly slickened.

 Brainstorm let out a strangled sort of sound and the mech pulled back to look at him, lips shiny and plump. Apparently finding his survey satisfactory he dove his way back down, as one of his digits found it's way into the depths of Brainstorm's valve.

 It took the stranger in greedily, contracting on it as if he was offering his spike.

 It wasn't any kind of enough though, and the mech seemed to know this, to understand it on some kind of instinctual level for how he drew the first back and added a second alongside it to pump and open him further.

 It eased some of that pervasive ache and served to ramp Brainstorm's charge higher and oh by Primus did it ever feel good, so good that that same primal part of him wanted to wallow and bask in the feeling and the moment forever, finally a sire to take care of him and his.

 The rest of him quailed, because what he was doing to not resist the big mech like this? Didn't his spark belong to that microscope at home? A couple of days and Brainstorm knew that this strange time would've passed for good or for naught when they didn't show up back at the university, and here he was, moaning out an overload on some strange barbarian mech's fingers.

 Said strange mech looked all too pleased, and carefully withdrew those digits, shining with Brainstorm's lubricants. Keeping optic contact, he deliberately stuck those digits right into his mouth, and savored them with all the gusto of a starving mech given energon. He murmured something nonsensical and sensual, and it was all Brainstorm needed to heat right back up again, his body still craving that overload from the big mech's spike-This big mech who seemed to be positioning himself for the task ahead.

  He seemed to like the view from between Brainstorm's legs, if his rumbling was any good indication. It brought another flash of heat and shame to Brainstorm's frame to see how wanted he was and how damn good that felt. Then the big mech opened his paneling. Brainstorm was confused for a moment, since he was still covered from his lower abdomen to mid-thigh with that strange mesh clothing.

 And then it began to rise in some sort of perverse tent and in some sort of chimeric mixture of delight and horror did Brainstorm realize that this mech's spike was proportional to his frame.

 Then, the mech moved down. Brainstorm jumped, having expected to be caged by this mech's frame and taken with haste. Instead, a large mouth descended onto his needy valve, licking a hot stripe from his sensitive entrance to his node with a glossa that must have been forged with only untoward things in mind.

 He set upon him with all the ferocity previously displayed and more, acting like he needed to glut himself on Brainstorm and his essence to ease some immense craving that couldn't be seen to otherwise. Brainstorm shouted, bringing his hands down to grip on the elegant helm protrusions coming out of the big mech's blue head.

 His lover purred into those laps, those kisses and near nipping sucklings, changing his tactics with every new tremor of his frame, every new sound drawn out of Brainstorm's frame.

 Brainstorm couldn't help his frame or his cries or the way the all thoughts he could have had to accompany the pleasure were blown into silence, into those precious moments of ecstasy, and that moment where his unwanted lover actually used that talented glossa to penetrate him, and he could do little but let himself be carried away by wash of release sailing over his form.

 Coming to brought him to the sight of the big mech back upright, now starting to cage his body as he thought he would. The only difference held in the clothing, draped over the both of their pelvic housings. Somehow it heightened, sharpened the feeling of a broad, blunt spike-head pressing into his valve.

 He expected it to be hard and fast, with his valve slickened and relaxed as it was -but this wasn't so; the mech gently pushed himself in with more care than any had before him. He opened under him beautifully, eased by the care he'd been given prior. Brainstorm still trembled and clutched at the mech's arms as they bracketed his frame for how full he was, how full he was getting to be.

 His frame sung and systems purred while his spark still quailed. At least until they come to get you they said soothingly he can sire for your newspark, just until you can tell Perceptor. But wasn't that the stroke of all of his worst lucks? Perceptor hadn't wanted Fission when they sparked him, told him in no uncertain terms how he'd felt about sparklings and yet- come back of his own volition, likely for his frame. That was when his view of him had been irrevocably changed, that day he'd told him and Perceptor had walked out.

And then here was this mech, whom he didn't understand but had already shown more care for him, already shown more interest for the newspark the medic must have told him was on board.

He bottomed out and moaned, obviously appreciative of the pleasure he was taking from Brainstorm, and watching with sharp optics for each sign of Brainstorm's pleasure in turn. Such was another aspect of his shame and pleasure, for his nodes sung at the contact, filled more than he'd ever been to this point prior. The mech hiked Brainstorm's legs up around his waist to press on a ceiling node already ground upon by the spike splitting him open.

And then the mech bracketed him more, covered him as if concealing something precious from the world at large- and kissed him again.

Such a cruel thing- this claiming kiss of a lover, crueler yet when he broke it to press forehelms with Brainstorm and began to move. Fans that had already been working to dispel heat ratcheted up to redline in an astrosecond as a deep and fulfilling pleasure rocked through Brainstorm's frame on the heels of the rest.  

He just... he just had to succumb. There was no use in doing anything else in the face of his captivity, and a broken mech he may end up- but at least he could know in some ways that he'd be taken care of in the interim.

The big mech rolled his hips through steady, powerful thrusts and each one brought Brainstorm that much closer to just letting it go, to accepting that inevitable fate of a few days of bliss and disgrace.

"Ohh, P-Primus, please...!" It was with a startling suddenness that Brainstorm found himself on the edge, and if the way the mech's optics brightened in excitement was any indication, he knew it too and was nearly there himself- _especially_ if the pulsing of that large spike inside him was anything to go by. A little more force into the next thrust had Brainstorm crying out again, frame bowing against his unbidden lover as overload took him once more. The mech pulled in a soft, sharp vent of surprise before he joined him, pressing in deep so to deliver all of that scorching, charged transfluid that Brainstorm's frame had been so craving.

 Overtaken by the feeling and overwhelmed by the release of charge, Brainstorm fell into the darkness of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and commenting! There's a little more than the 10 people I thought would read this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some references to what happened in last chapter in this one. ✨

 When Brainstorm rebooted, it was to a haze of confusion.

  He wasn't sure where he was or how he was, only able to observe the facts of his immediate space. Fission was pressed to the plating over his spark, sleeping soundly. He was pleasantly warm-especially at his back- and laying on something soft and exceedingly comfortable.

Then the hand cupping protectively about his midsection moved, and his short-term memory queued up lightning-fast.

 He tensed in a snap, and it brought the big mech out of his slumber with an amazing speed. He couldn't help but cower just that slightest bit to see him in the light of dawn. A royal blue covered the majority of him, with black, white and red taking up the rest. He was accented with a brilliant gold, from those helm fins to strategic points down his chassis.

 He was striking, but part of Brainstorm didn't dare to look so closely at him for too long, either, and he turned back away from him to hold his sparklet close.

 The mech rumbled out a chuckle, and gently pushed Brainstorm back down on his back. Brainstorm went, though he kept Fission close. The mech peered down at him and said something with question to his tone, tilting that great helm of his to one side. Brainstorm peered at him blankly, and the mech's face formed a half-confused pout that made him look all too youthful. He sat up, revealing the red and black youngling from the night prior sleeping in a heap directly behind where he just was.

 He mechhandled Brainstorm into a sitting position and grinned when Brainstorm crossed his legs to sit more comfortably. Brainstorm eyed him warily and adjusted his hold on Fission, settling the sparklet more comfortably against his front.

 The big mech watched him do this, and then spoke, pointing to Fission and then Brainstorm. He then finished mimicking his motions from the night before, motioning to himself and the snoozing youngling. Brainstorm followed to that point, comprehending that yes, both of them had offspring.

 Then the big mech motioned to himself again, and spoke, enunciating each syllable slowly.  When Brainstorm stared at him blankly, he said it again, and then motioned to his son and said something else, before repeating the first phrase. It was an embarrassingly long moment for Brainstorm to realize that it was names that the big mech was trying to tell him, his and his son's.

 Once more the big mech motioned to himself, and spoke, but this time, Brainstorm worked to listen, and then repeat.

 "Dai...?" he parroted back to start- and the mech- Dai, apparently- exclaimed his joy in some positive declaration, reaching out to take hold of Brainstorm's arms under his pauldrons, before sitting back, and repeating it again, this time with a huge grin on his face.

 "Dai.... Ahh-to-lah-sue?" He tried, doing his best to sound through the mellifluous words.

 "Dai Atlas." He said, but this time was more a purr than what Brainstorm was beginning to think of as his usual cadence. Brainstorm felt his face heat but soldiered on in ignoring it, especially when the youngling sat up and began to chatter too. Brainstorm squinted just so in concentration, picking out a word repeated more than once.

 "S-" He started, and all that whirlwind of young motion stopped at once to stare at him. "-So-knee-coo?"

 The youngling, all a measure of sudden movement and tossed covers scrambled over to him with the biggest faux cyber-pup optics Brainstorm had ever seen. "Sonic!!" He repeated back, scrabbling his way around to put his little hands on one of Brainstorm's knees. He looked at him like he expected him to repeat it, and clapped in delight when Brainstorm's second attempt was far more successful.

 Then the child pointed down at his son, and looked up at him expectantly. Brainstorm almost thought to ask him, in that way one does with little children, if he wanted to know his sparklet's name. But, he thought better of it and felt a little stupid. The child- Sonic- would understand his language as well as he had understood Sonic's.

 He propped his son up a little more in his arms, causing the sparkling to stir just so.

 "Fiszh-uhn." He said, being sure to enunciate both syllables clearly. He glanced at the big mech- at Dai, who was watching the two of them with bright intent in his red optics, but was otherwise silent.   

 "Fizzzzzz~" Sonic repeated back to him, clenching his denta to draw the noise out. "Annnnnn~" That part he sung out, as if pronouncing a glyph from his own tongue.

 The toddler in question blinked his optic shutters open hazily as he tried to wake himself from his slumber.

 "Fission." Brainstorm said again, and Fission blinked, and looked up at his carrier with a sleepy chirp. Sonic, though plenty old enough to have no part of sparklet 'cant anymore, widened his eyes, and chirped back. Fission giggled a moment, attention grabbed by the older child, and he reached, taking digits to grab as they were offered.

 Sonic beamed at Brainstorm, and with Fission's name in his mouth, he asked another question and pointed at him as best he could with the toddler trying to play.

 Brainstorm hesitated for a moment, caught between the gaze of this innocent child and the urge to keep something as personal as his chosen name to himself. He cared for psychology about the same he cared for botany, but there was somewhere he'd heard that one would make themself more likely to be treated well- like a person if they gave up that personal information.

 He wasn't sure how much more personal one could get, than a hand on his abdomen and a tongue on the valve.

 "Brainstorm." He said, a little too quickly and a little too quietly. Dai moved a little closer to murmur something that sounded like a question. Obviously, he wanted him to repeat himself.

 "Brainstorm." He said, clearer this time. The great mech's orbital ridge furrowed just so, as he worked to process through the name.

 "Brain-storm" Dai murmured, well beyond what Brainstorm would've figured he could've, and he said it in a half-pleased manner that sent a bolt of heat up Brainstorm's backstrut.

 " _Brainstorm_." He corrected a last time, unable to hold up and keep the gaze this would-be sire was giving him.  

 "Brainstorm!" Sonic sang, breaking the small tension building between them. Brainstorm couldn't help but smile at the young mech, wondering if he had ever had that energy for himself or if it was a purview of the kindled.

 Speaking of, Fission seemed to take the end of the name exchange to remember he'd not eaten since the night prior and with an impressive little rumble to his tank that Brainstorm could feel in his hold, he froze for a moment, dropping Sonic's offered digits.

 He squirmed around in Brainstorm's hold so they were front to front, and looked up at him with the most beseeching little optics. "Foo-al, 'Ree?" It was one of the very few things he could communicate clearly, though not for lack of trying in other areas.

He was  _just_ too small yet. 

 Brainstorm peered down at his son and then glanced at Dai and Sonic, who were looking at him curiously. It had to be too much to hope that they'd have anything pure enough to be a sparkling-grade out here in the wastes. But no, it would be a waste to even attempt to ask, as this was no kind of civilization that he was used to.

 Embarrassment flooded through him, but he supposed he had little choice in the matter and so he scooted around in a tight circle to face away from the Vosian and his son.

 He initiated the filtering program quickly and tucked Fission in closer, bringing a feeding line out for him to latch on to. Fission caught on immediately and did so, quieting to happy, muffled chirps.

 Brainstorm shuttered his optics, doing his best to not let his discomfiture show in his frame language. Too many in the city found line-feeding some mixture of disgusting and horrific with regular filtered fuels to be had. In his extremely limited experience with other carriers, Brainstorm had learned that others had tried it at least once, as he had, but the reaction of their partner or partners had served to make them stop.

 "The child isn't an _empty_ , Brainstorm," Perceptor had commented sharply upon finding him feeding Fission in this same way. "There's no need to degrade yourself like this, when there's perfectly acceptable fuel to give him."

 Ohh, how that had stung.

 Brainstorm didn't feel any sort of humiliated or _wrong_ , to feed his sparklet like this, but those stinging words had done well to make sure Brainstorm only used this method to fuel him in the most private of circumstances, where Perceptor wouldn't see it.

 Little hands alighted on his leg again and he startled to find Sonic had quietly worked his way around to look and was reaching up to pet at Fission's head while he fueled.  

 A rumbling chuckle in extremely close proximity had him startling again, and he looked wildly for a moment only to find Dai right up behind him- though not touching, to peer over and look, too.

 He said something that had Sonic nodding in wonderment, and placed one of his gargantuan hands on Brainstorm's shoulder, reaching to gently point.

 Brainstorm could only guess what he was telling the young mech, but he tried not to think about it too hard, especially as Dai gave his shoulder a subtle rub before letting him go. Sonic still watched up until Fission disengaged and remembered the older child existed and gave him the sort of friendly chirp he usually reserved for his carrier.

 It was, in a way, disturbingly _normal_.

 A few words from Dai and Sonic took on a pout, and got to his pedes with a spring. Brainstorm watched as Sonic bounded over to what appeared to be a fairly simple subspace storage compartment.

 When the mechling pulled a long mesh cloth from within, it occurred to Brainstorm all at once what _else_ was off this morning. Sonic flounced over and handed Dai the cloth- a muted, part opaque sky blue gradient- and went back for a red one for himself.

 It'd felt a tad closer to normal, to _Brainstorm's normal_ , because the two hadn't been wearing any "clothes". He watched with some creeping numbness as Dai put the metal ends- they must be magnetic- on careful spots on his frame, and then turned to help his son put his on, too.  

 Dai regarded Brainstorm for a long moment, those red optics looked over Brainstorm's frame with an appraising edge to them, before he said a few short words and Sonic left and came back to him with a bundle in his arms.

 Brainstorm watched with no little trepidation as Dai took to the task of sorting out the different colors, but it was when he pulled out another cloth of blue that had his spark fall, just that bit more.

 The cloth was fully opaque, and a rich royal blue that matched the majority of Dai's plating. It was a plain-as-day claim if Brainstorm ever saw one, and for a moment his mind flashed back home, to those who didn't know that he was gone- that he and his little Fission had been taken from where they were _meant_ to be.

 This claim was a sign of things to come- Brainstorm was sure, this big mech- Dai, wouldn't be letting him go without a fight.

 The thought caused him to shy back as Dai approached with the cloth in hand and in turn the large mech paused, asking him a question he couldn't understand. He directed Sonic to sit- and the mechling did- before he plucked Fission deftly from Brainstorm's arms with what was probably supposed to be a gentle, soothing word. Once the toddler was put in Sonic's arms, Dai turned on him again.

 Brainstorm, with no sparklet to shield himself with, found that he was trapped. His frame heated with disturbing speed when Dai touched him, carefully circling a large hand about his waist. A small smile bloomed on Dai's face at the contact, showing in no uncertain terms that he'd felt the reaction.

 With the utmost care, he pressed one clip to Brainstorm's armor and Brainstorm was mortified again, to feel the heat this contact left behind. He ignored those unruly interface systems trying to do their best to spin up, and instead shuttered his optics.

 It was the wrong thing to do, as when Dai pressed the other magnet across to his other flank, the contact from Dai's digits and the light contact from the fabric laying across his cockpit left his vents stalled.

 Then he opened his optics, and looked up, to where Dai was looking down at him, and a bolt of fear and excitement and _trepidation_ and **heat** met where those optics peered down at him, mirroring the night prior. That, and Dai showed him a peek of sharp denta where it had caught on his lower lip-plating.

 Brainstorm looked away, choosing with a firm focus to look at where Sonic held Fission in his lap- and he blinked, to see his son with tiny versions of something similar to what he was wearing on his own frame now adorning his.

 Dai pressed another two connections to his frame at his hips before he finally- blessedly- moved back away from him, and Brainstorm found himself able to vent again- though he'd not even realized he'd held them.

 His body, he decided, was a traitor of the worst kind.

 But- he supposed he was 'dressed', and so some sort of palatable to Vosian society.  If only Rewind could see him now- well,  if Rewind could see any of this, he'd probably have a spark fluctuation from the sheer excitement of the fact that real, living Vosians and all that entailed... before they killed him, of course, snuffing out his little spark and all the knowledge a datastick like he had accumulated.

 The thought alone managed to be all he needed to sour that growing arousal and curdle it into something cold and terrible.

 Lightspeed, excitable and inquisitive Lightspeed was dead, and it was more than likely that the rest of the team had shared his fate.

 Gentle Nosecone, shy Scrounge, Afterburner and Scattershot- He'd never see them again, even when he was rescued from these mecha- if he was rescued.

 He thought of Strafe alone at home in Iacon, patiently going about his weekend and looking forwards to their triumphant return, only to be met with... nothing.

 If nothing, it was a sobering thought, that which put even the inkling of any thought further in regards to Interfacing- even the sour ones- right on ice. He had to hold out hope, it and his young son where all he had left.

 Perceptor _had_ to send word he was gone upon return, just like Strafe would when his brothers didn't return home to him.

 Still, that fear and sadness panged true in his spark and- and-

 "Brainstorm. Brainstorm?" Dai's voice as it called his name with growing concern snapped him from the tilt his mind was taking.

 Somehow, Fission had appeared whimpering and sniffly in the big mech's arms, dwarfed by the sheer scale of him.

 Dai placed the flat of his palm over the center of Brainstorm's chest plating, and asked in nonsense something particularly concerned sounding.

 He huffed a small huff of frustration at Brainstorm's lack of an answer, until he reached over and gently retrieved his son from his arms.

 There would be little chance to shake the looming sadness, but he could hold out hope for that rescue, and in the meantime keep his spark as calm as he could for his son. Fission immediately laid his little head down near Brainstorm's collar faring and closed his optics to better bask in the closeness of their sparks.

 Dai watched them in observational silence, and Brainstorm took to watching him again in turn- until the big mech stood up and offered a hand to him.

 Dai said something in the realm of soft and encouraging as he moved that outstretched hand just a little closer.

 Not for the first time, Brainstorm considered some kind of token resistance, considered sitting down in something of a huff to refuse and be petulant. this was one of his captors, some greatly considered warrior- maybe to be allowed him as a captive and concubine... At the same time, Brainstorm was likely just ahead of himself on that front. He wished dearly that they could communicate clearly- that Brainstorm could tell him he had someone at home who- while he may be disappointed to know of Brainstorm's unborn newspark, would probably miss him and their son.

 And that while the night prior certainly was an **experience** , he'd need to not repeat it again, to preserve that hope that Perceptor would be willing to be that sparklet's sire.

 "Brainstorm?" The big mech was up close again and looking concerned as ever but a container had appeared in his hand, and the scent of concentrated energon came from within. He brought one hand up to steady Dai's, as the big mech seemed intent on feeding it to him.

 Brainstorm took it in with gusto the moment it hit his taste receptors, so rich and pure it was. Really, if he could learn anything here, he hoped it could be the secret to the taste and quality of this fuel. When Dai brought the container back away, he looked at him appraisingly, and took a moment to take hold of his helm'd movement by the chin and look in his optics - he was looking for further signs of under-fueling, Brainstorm realized, and it made his spark feel both funny and sad sensations- The cognitive dissonance was so intense, between this killer and this mech who had nothing more in one night and morning but tell him and his carrier-coding  addled frame that he'd be a sire any other carrier would be envious of.

 This time, when Dai had put back the energon and offered his hand to him, Brainstorm took it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Y'alls kudos and comments are appreciated. It's that weird season where I work on things more than I post them, with added Terrible Adulting™ having to be done in the meantime. I'll update this again in June. ♥


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so it was my birthday yesterday, and I want to give you all this as a gift. ♥
> 
> This chapter contains sticky interfacing and unreliable narrators. You can skip the interfacing by following the horizontal rules, if you want

 When his mecha brought the stranger back to camp, Dai Atlas truly didn't know what to think of him. To be fair, it wasn't the best first impression, to see Wing and Sky High trying to shoulder the nearly- catatonic mech, even as he still clutched the sparkling to his chest plating.

 "I can't help but think he's been mistreated, sir." Ambulon told him, having come ahead of the troupe to report.

 They'd found him in a weak cloth tent lashed to a tree in the pursuit of a speedy grounder defiler, clutching his little one close and looking terrified at the sight of them, when for all intents and purposes he should be glad to see more of his own kind.

 "I don't know that his sparklet was sired by any of them, but you need to know now that I can't guarantee anything about the unborn one." Ambulon told him as if he'd not been surprised, but Dai had no such compunction about showing his shock.

 "He's carrying?" He asked. "You can say that for certain, already having one so young?" Ambulon nodded, and his expression darkened. "I don't know what or how those grounders could think- but we may be looking at a breeder that one of them just didn't have the capacity to let go of. He certainly doesn't have our language."

 Dai paced about the space a moment, thinking. Sonic Bomber was the only living child his clan had seen in a long time, born from his own frame, and Dai couldn't love him more- but it was an accepted and tragic fact that for whatever reason, his people were in want for the gift of fecundity.

 It was spark-breaking, to see his people- his _family -_ mourn at yet another miscarry or still-born sparklet.

 "How far is he?" He asked, and Ambulon eyed him as if he knew what he'd say next depending on his answer. He did, but at the very least he'd be polite about it.

 "Not very." He said. "Far _, far_ too early to go without a sire. He'll lose it otherwise."

 Dai couldn't help but give him a small, dry smile and put a hand on Ambulon's shoulder. " If he doesn't want me, there will be plenty of others who would be happy to take up the mantle, so to say. Bring him to my house."

 And so bring him they did, and he was a sight to behold.

 Wing had vocalized his thoughts perfectly when he helped ease him onto the soft flooring- expressing a disbelief that this mystery mech's family could've given him up or lost sight of him to the likes and savagery of the average grounder.

 "They may have just befallen the same fate this one did," Ambulon suggested seriously. "Grounders are one thing, but I can't help but feel like if this one's family wouldn't allowed him to be lost so easily."

 And Dai could see why, with an appreciative gaze- the strange carrier had long, strong legs and broad shoulders to carry high-altitude wings. Despite not being in the best condition, his coloring was strong and vibrant, and his sparklet was taken care of and healthy.

 Just superficially, Dai knew it would be very easy for him to interface this mech, and already coding he'd had Ambulon queue into assessment mode was liking the ideas that began to trickle in.

 Of course he'd take on the role of sire for the infant too should the carrier accept his advances. It'd add three to the number of his clan, and three pinpoints of hope in these two children and their fertile carrier.

 For him, it'd give him a family once again larger than he and his son, one he wasn't sure he'd ever get again after Sonic's sire passed away.

 But- all that hinged on how the mech would react to his advances. It was something on the side of duty, but he'd not leave him without. It would be antithetical to their way, if he did.

 Dai Atlas was quick despite his thoughts, and so he was quick to notice when the mecha's optics brightened and his body tensed all at once as if he was going to sit up. A quick application of his hand kept the mech down. He looked up to meet Dai's gaze.

 "Hello, " He said, "You gave us quite a surprise today. I've been told by my warriors that despite being weakened, you acted valiantly when one tried to take your little one. You do have my apologies for that too, he should've known better."

 The mech stared at him, and said nothing... and nearly did nothing, until Ambulon spoke and his helm whipped around to stare at the rotary medic.

 "You should know that you're underfueled." He said, obviously mildly uncomfortable. "and your frame is putting out an excess of signal, both of distress and need. But, your little one is healthy and your unborn spark is strong, with no signs of reabsorption from what your code can tell me."

 "You can't understand me, but know that you and yours will be well taken care of with this clan. Here-" He turned some and gestured, knowing his mechling was peeping in on what they were doing anyways.

 Sonic obeyed immediately, though with no little wariness and sheepishness for being caught out. The prone mech gasped softly to see him, and finally - _finally_ there was some recognition -- some blessed _communication_ as Dai motioned between himself and Sonic, and then the mech and his sparklet. He nodded slowly, optics blown huge and bright.

 "Carrier, the others say this new bot will be part of our clan, is that true?" So direct and ready to rush into the thick of things to find the answer, his son was. It made him smile, and he nodded to affirm. "If he decides I'm worthy, and we are compatible- yes. That, and you will have not one new sibling to look after, but two." He motioned to the sleeping infant, and then offered to take him in one hand, to give him to Sonic.

 The signs of him being a good carrier continued as he obviously hesitated to hand over his precious offspring, but a reassuring motion from his medic had him acquiescing. Dai couldn't help the bloom of pride he felt at watching Sonic cradle the sparklet correctly before he addressed the new mech directly. "Thank you for letting me watch him! I'll show you that I can be a good big brother."

 With that, he turned and departed, likely to seek out the company of Saber or Wing or another adult with good stories or stashed sparkling clothes.

 Ambulon spoke again, still eager to abscond. "With your systems being under-fueled as they are, I'm going to give you some of our concentrated best, and it should bring you up to optimum levels for the duration of your interface and the night."

 Dai nodded with consideration. No Vosian was shy about interfacing, but conflict and competition relating to interfacing was another manner entirely. He even surprised himself, that he would prickle as Ambulon handed the mech the little bottle of life-giving fuel.

 Ambulon was smart, however, and rose to leave with deference quickly. Dai watched him go, before looking back down to the lovely mech before him. He'd not even realized that he was rubbing at the juncture of the mech's chest plating and shoulder until he spoke- or rather _attempted_ to speak.

 "I can't say I understand you yet- but perhaps we can start on the language of the sky in the morn. Are you not able to have your fuel with this thing on your face?" The mech babbled another moment before Dai reached down and attempted to pluck it off, finding it came easily.

 "Ahh, I can see why they made you keep it on." He said, as he kept it out of his reach. "Come now, pretty one, you'll need the fuel for our joining- I'll give this back to you tomorrow." The mech slumped a little, obviously not comprehending beyond his tone and his intent.

 In the end, he drank deep of the concentrated fuel and perked right away. It pleased Dai, who moved his hand down to rest over where the pretty one's systems were preparing to make his child- _their_ child, if he was found to be worthy.

 And oh, how he hoped he was.

 He skirted his hand down farther, unable to ignore the call or the pulsing of his spark. "I _will_ take care of you. I can't wait to see you in pleasure-"  and then he kissed him, moving in slow so as to give him time to withdraw if Dai's advances were something he didn't want after all.

 Instead, he opened his lips and opened his legs, allowing Dai access to his closed modesty paneling and his hot mouth.  He pressed in to kiss a little harder, savoring the moan his pretty carrier let out for him in turn. He rubbed at that modesty paneling- just a stroke, really, and it opened up for him immediately. Dai pulled back and gazed down at him in awe at the response he'd gotten.

* * *

 

 His digits were _soaked_ , and the gravity of his new lover's need became all too apparent. He inserted that digit, let it sink into the plush, wet heat. It was so easy that he was quick to add a second, working to open the smaller mech and prepare him. The overload was a bonus that delighted Dai to no end and inflated his ego by bounds.

 His lover vented faster and squirmed, watching him with sharp,intelligent optics clouded only slightly by pleasure; Dai withdrew those digits and beheld the slick on them before sticking them in his mouth to get a taste. His lover's optics darkened to a lovely golden and held his own.

 "Soon, lovely- I'll give it to you soon. Let me give you a treat, sweetspark." He murmured it softly, but it came to full effect, as he heard his lover's vents click up higher. He moved to put himself between the carrier's legs, allowing his spike to extend out and relieve the sudden pressure he'd felt in his array.

 He felt almost like he was a mech possessed, and bent down to taste him from the source. The mech startled under him, but as concentrated as he was, he barely felt it when his helmfins were taken into a firm grip. His engine purred into those laps, into those tiny nips and suckling at this carrier's anterior node- and _oh_ was Dai becoming addicted, even with just this first taste.

 His lover's cries of pleasure were the perfect accompaniment, even more so when he pressed in harder and inserted his glossa right past the rim of his lover's valve.  He was treated to another overload, this one spilling directly into his mouth- and he couldn't help the soft exhale of pleasure _that_ brought him.

 He disengaged slowly, carefully using his mouth to clean the excess on his thighs and array. He sat up with a last kiss to the plump area above his lover's node, and gazed down at his limp form, pleased in the dazed, blank expression the mech wore so openly.

 Dai moved up slowly, covering the mech's frame with his own. He reached down to align them together, and carefully pressed the head of his spike to the entrance of his lover's valve, making sure to be caught on the rim.

 Said mech's optics brightened and his helm inclined down to peer, and for a moment Dai wished he'd disrobed, so that he could show his physique and the sheer eroticism of his spike entering into him.

 He made it up to him by not prolonging their interface, and with all the control he had, carefully eased himself into the snug, slick heat of his lover's valve. The beautiful carrier took hold of him at the arms, squeezing down on his grips both above and below and inspiration struck him further.

 Dai moved to bring the mech's legs up around his waist. He _had_ to go deeper, had to stimulate and touch as deep as he could, such was the grip of the coding slowly, ecstatically coming up and over his frame. He moaned, swimming in the pleasure given him in the pursuit of his own gift and he couldn't help it- he kissed him again.

 And such ecstasy _that_ was, to press their lips together and to taste him again and express his joy at their joining without words as he could. He broke the kiss when he spark felt full with the feelings, and suddenly he felt some edge of shy affection, and he pressed their forehelms together, hoping that the emotion could come through in the simple act.

 Then he moved, rolling his hips back and then forwards in a slow display of control and power, all designed to bring him pleasure. Apparently it did, as his fans ratcheted up that much higher, and Dai's ego swelled along with his spike.

 Dai thrust and ground into a rhythm designed to be as moving as it was to _move_ , and just the sight of his lover's pleasure-drunk features was enough to push him along closer to his own overload, for as far as he denied it thus.

 He moved through that same slow power in measures, unable _but_ to look at him, to think about the future he was giving Dai and his clan by this sheer act. His coding took an edge of it's own at the whisper of a thought and Dai knew then that he'd have him to himself-- there would be no other of his that could touch this carrier. 

 The carrier was _his_ , the sparklet growing inside him would be of _his_ line, and no others. He and he alone would keep him and his safe as sire and be there with him to gently usher this new life in to the world. 

 His lover babbled some incomprehensible exclamation and Dai Atlas couldn't help the snap he put into his hips at his next thrust--- and then he took in a short gasp, as that divine valve pulsed and constricted around him. He pushed in and held as his lovely carrier milked him of his transfluid and _Primus_ , what an overload. 

 It felt as if if his whole body had sprung forth and he took a few long moments of basking in the sheer volume of the sensation before he was able to come to himself. He pulled back with great attentiveness to his movement, disengaging his spike as best he could without any additional rubbing. 

* * *

 

 Pulling back, he found his new lover asleep, looking peaceful and for all the world looking like he belonged just there, with Dai's claim on his frame and with the knowledge that the unborn new spark inside him came with that, in a manner. 

 He moved slow and quiet to retrieve cleaning rags, not wanting to disturb the mech and his peace. He came back with a meaningful sort of motion to his movement and cleaned the limp frame before him with reverence. He was pleased to find that even his modesty paneling was simple to manually close. 

 After, he took to arranging him carefully and comfortably in Dai's pile of soft bedding and notions from his travels.

 He watched him for a long, quiet moment. He knew what he had to do next, knew he had a simple task ahead of him, but part of him balked to leave this precious carrier's side even for those moments. 

 But, the rest of him was reasonable. The children needed to be fetched, they should spend the night with their parents, and together with the two of them too, to get used to the idea. This was not a task that Dai Atlas could even have the inkling of failing, especially if he wanted to keep this new carrier clan member by his side. 

 For modesty's sake, he carefully adjusted his clothing before he quickly departed. 

 Dai made sure his trip was quick, and that he was gone and back with a quickness and urgency that would allow for nothing but. 

 Both the sparklet and the spark of his own spark that was Sonic Bomber were asleep when he retrieved him, and with both children in his arms he strode back across camp. In that short trip it struck him just how long it was, just how long it _had been_  since Sonic was this new sparkling's size, and how much he missed those times, despite the hardship it brought. 

 But the sparklet was still young, and an obvious chance at another do-over at this stage of life, even and especially with the oncoming newspark. 

 No sire worth their fuel-- correction- no _flying_ sire  worth even a ounce of their weight in fuel would have abandoned their family like this, would've let such a wonderful and attractive carrier out of their sight for too long, at least not without blow back from those around them. 

 Dai couldn't even imagine something so horrible himself, and so he took back to righteous indignation, and the firm knowing that he had done the right thing, and his duty- and found immense and delicious treasure in both. 

 Sonic woke briefly when Dai put him down to fling his clothes off and flop bodily down to where his preferred position at where his carrier's back would lay. 

 Dai took a long moment to marvel at the tuckered out sparklet in his arms and stand in some strange giddiness at holding him. He ran his knuckle over the soft, warm cheek of the tiny mech, smiling just so when he stirred in his arms to squirm. 

"Not the right spark, yeah?" Dai murmured softly, crouching down slowly as to not disturb him too much. Placing the sparklet in proximity of his carrier's chest plating calmed him right away, and soon he was snoring adorably, settled back into that deep slumber. 

Dai looked down upon the three- or four, depending on how one could look upon the situation- and that giddiness remained. The clan would be moving again in a matter of days, travelling deeper into Vos to settle again for a while. 

A quick bout of mental math told him that if he pushed his clan to fly just that bit harder, they'd reach the moot before his lovely carrier was due to birth his newspark. 

It would be ideal, to have the full corps of medics together; they'd be taking care of any other carrying mecha anyways and with more of them around, the sparklet would have a better chance at living through the processes, as would their carrier. 

It would be something to discuss with his lieutenants, to be sure. He was sure that they'd agree with him though, for as long as it had been since there was new energon in their numbers. 

Already, he knew the clan at large would be talking about the pair which was soon to be a trio, talking and predicting place and personality. Those watching when the warriors returned would've seen the canons on the mech's back, along with the sharp angles to his wings and the mask upon his face. 

Not for the first time, Dai wished he could converse with him freely and ask after those guns and that armor, and find out what had hurt him to the point that he'd not be able to use his power to blow away those dirty grounders. 

He settled in behind the mech thinking of just that, and vowing to do better and make things better- as best he could. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always say this, but you all make it very hard to answer comments sometimes, and I love it. Hopefully some of your questions will have been answered. 😉
> 
> Thank you for reading! ♥


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More tfcon posting! I'm having a great time! ♥♥♥♥

 The morning brought many gifts to Dai and his sudden little family. He was given the gift of two names and gave his and Sonic's as gifts in turn. 

Brainstorm. 

_Brainstorm-_

It was interesting, and felt so odd to say in his tongue, but it gave him some kind of hope, to some future where Brainstorm could understand him and he would be understood in turn, and the two of them together would be given the chance to converse, and Dai would get to hear the whole story of how he ended up in such a rough situation on the edge of the country. 

Fission- the baby, showed the same kind of intelligence his carrier did, and it made Dai wonder, grew his curiosity even more. Brainstorm didn't sit or act like any sort of warrior he knew, and a surreptitious inspection of his canon barrels showed not a single trace of discharge or a single mark of munitions carving a path into them. 

At the same time, he caught on to his name in their language far faster than he would assume one of a grounder city could. The way he seemed to absorb the information... it made Dai some kind of impatient, and he almost felt like a sparkling again himself, especially when Sonic started asking questions. 

The sudden snap of behavioral change did concern him- he expected the shyness; they'd barely met and just become lovers and prospective parents, but the fear and _embarrassment_ , especially as he went to fuel his sparklet? That was troubling, and he itched to know why he acted such, at such a natural act. 

Thankfully, Sonic picked up on little of his carrier's tension, if any. He was just too excited about the whole affair, that even getting him and the sparklet dressed was an exciting task for the little would-be nudist. 

And then, Brainstorm grew cold again, and Dai could only sit in wonder and concern and try to help him, encourage him to fuel. 

When he did, it seemed to settle him, and Dai breathed a sigh of relief when Brainstorm took his hand. 

 

* * *

 

The pair of them emerged to the clan at large already milling about their little settlement. 

Sonic burst from behind them with all the excess energy a young mech could show in one sitting, running ahead with caution- since he still had Fission in his arms- to where Wing was lurking nearby. 

Wing looked up when Sonic approached, and then looked up farther to where Dai was guiding Brainstorm towards him. Dai saw his optics flash from him to his companion, to where he was holding onto Brainstom by the hand, and his optics took on a gleeful, mischievous glint to them. 

"Wing." Dai said as he approached, with warning to his tone telling the younger mech to behave himself "This is Brainstorm, and his newspark, Fission- though I see you've met." 

Wing did his best to look suitably admonished, which, in tune to his personality, was not at all. Dai couldn't help but think that if not for his own intervention and duty, Wing would've charmed his way into Brainstorm's panels in no time flat. 

Dai drew Brainstorm forwards just a little, not missing how the mech dug his thrusters into the ground just a little bit. "Brainstorm." He said, and the mech looked at him warily. "This is Wing. _Wing_." He reached out and took hold of Wing's pauldron, and his warrior moved in a little closer to properly be introduced. Brainstorm's optics flashed between the two of them, and the hesitation on his open face shown bare. 

"Wing." Wing said, bringing his hands to his bright, white chest plating. "And you?" He reached just a little, obviously pointing and telegraphing his motions so not to startle the mech, but Brainstorm stepped to press himself into Dai's side none the less. 

Dai, to his eternal shame or lack thereof, couldn't help but soak in the preening of his coding. See Wing? This lovely carrier is his, and no one else's. Dai let his arm slip around him and laughed softly, which had Brainstorm looking at him incredulously, his lips drawn into a little moue. 

Hn. Perhaps he'd have to give him back the mask after all. It wouldn't do to have to fight off his own mecha with a stick. 

"Brainstorm." He said, and Brainstorm's optics took on a measure of annoyance. " _Wing_." He motioned with the hand holding said mech, and Wing's expression morphed into a huge smile. 

"Wing." Wing repeated back, laughing himself. 

"Carrier!" Sonic cut in, holding a bemused looking Fission in his arms still. "Tell him I'm Sonic Bomber again! He didn't get it all right, last time." The moment Sonic said his name, Brainstorm's helm whipped down to look at the mech, and recognition dawned in his frame language. 

"Ah.." He said, before babbling to himself a moment. He pointed to Wing. 

"Wee- _ng?_ " He tried, feeling around the word and pronunciation in his mouth. 

"Wing." Wing said with a nod, holding both hands out to Brainstorm once more. Brainstorm eyed his hands for a moment before he reached out with one and took hold of Wing's opposite hand and shook it up and down vigorously for a moment before withdrawing. 

Dai tried not to boggle at him, since Wing was doing that anyways. 

"Er. Thank you?" Wing said, withdrawing a little. "... Must be a city custom." 

"I'm assuming so. We'll break him of that soon enough, though. He's already so animated among his own kind now." Dai punctuated his unsaid point by squeezing Brainstorm to his side for a moment, which made the mech startle and look at him oddly. 

Wing got the message clearly and took a step back to turn and look Sonic, who was looking quite put out to be left out for the moment. "He didn't get your name right?" He asked distracting and apologetically. 

Sonic gave him a touch of the fuzzy optic for just a moment before his grin returned "He didn't, but he tried really hard! And this is his sparklet, his name is Fission and Carrier says I'm gonna be big brother to him an' the new sparklet too." 

"Did he now?" Wing asked, looking to the silent sparklet a long moment. 

Dai watched him look to Brainstorm, who was still looking uneasy, and more so now that Wing had gotten closer to his little one. He knew that Wing could read the signs - the mech was muley- headed, but no fool. 

"Yes." Sonic said, clear and confident as any mech twice his size would be. "An' we have to be careful, but I told him I'm _already_  careful, 'cause I learned during the winters." 

Then, the young Mech held the infant out towards Wing in a thrust. "Do you want to hold him?" He said "You're nice, and fly fast so I bet he would like it if you held him." 

 So into his side as he was, Dai noticed the moment that Brainstorm tensed all in a wave from the top of his helm all the way down to his pedes. Of course, he was quick to intervene.

"Sonic, let's give Fission back to his carrier, yeah?  Both look like they need some time together, and they still have many to meet."

  Sonic pouted for only  for the barest of moments, as he drew the infant to back closer to his chest.  He was, however, a good and obedient mechling at spark,  and so it was with slow caution and obvious contrition that he swiveled slowly to repeat his previous motion and offer Brainstorm his child back.

Brainstorm took him with haste and caution, and turned as if he was going to retreat back to Dai's domicile, but the big mech caught him before he could retreat even a step. 

Dai made a mental note to begin in attempting to train Brainstorm in their ways of moving and being sooner, rather than later. 

For now, he had a clan to meet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, I'm going to be moving when I get back from tfcon, so we'll see when I can update this particular fic again after this. Your comments give me life, and I'm so glad that Y'all are getting the beat of this fic. ♥♥


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